1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to support benches such as utilized during body toning, weight training, and other therapeutic activities and, more particularly, to a portable, fully-articulated, multi-purpose bench.
2. Description of the Background
Many different activities such as body toning, weight training, weight-lifting, and other therapeutic and/or athletic activities require the use of a supporting structure capable of supporting the body in a variety of positions. For example, for an effective workout a weight lifter must exercise all major muscle groups by placing themself in a variety of positions ranging from flat-on-their-stomach, to reclining, to flat-on-their back, and all at a height that provides a full range of arm or leg motion. Similarly, many body toning exercises, aerobic programs, rehabilitative, and like therapeutic activities require the participant to position himself/herself in a variety of seated or lying positions at various angles.
The present inventor is not the first to address the issue of supporting the body during therapy or exercise. A massage-related apparatus is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,271 to Lloyd which discloses a collapsible massage table that has two sides. Each side is supported by a support structure that includes two legs. Various cable lines are used to stabilize the legs when the table is open and upright. The cables also function to automate or semi-automate leg, brace and truss extension and/or folding during opening and collapsing processes.
Additionally, there are other apparatus, primarily associated with weightlifting exercises, designed to support the body in a variety of positions. One variation on this theme is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,616 to Wolff which discloses a workout bench for exercising that includes weightlifting and other bench oriented exercises. A barbell rack is positioned at one end and a laterally extending frame member provides support for a two section bench. The two sections of the bench are mounted on a slider that slides along the length of the laterally extending frame member and can be adjusted and held in any desired position along this length. The bench sections are hinged so that they will both incline, and the position of the hinge is controlled by the slider so that the amount of inclination of the bench back section, which rests against supports on the rack at one end can be changed by sliding the slider to a desired location. The shorter seat bench section can be inclined through the use of a separate support member that will incline the bench at a particular angle and which will move with the slider. The hinge for the bench can be adjusted in position relative to the rack so that barbells supported on the rack can be lifted properly.
A second weightlifting-related apparatus is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,196 to Christie. That patent discloses a weightlifter""s bench which can be folded into a compact form suitable for storage. The folding feature is provided by a frame made of two facing U-shaped members which can be engaged by bolts which slide within the frame. Two support panels positioned upon the frame are hinged together to facilitate folding and also to permit one panel to be inclined for special exercises. The frame is supported by four legs which pivot about the frame for storage and can be locked into position by brackets pivoted to the legs and adapted to be secured to the underside of the frame. Support posts are provided for a barbell, and leg exercising means may be provided.
Yet another is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,277 to LaRossa et al. which discloses a light-weight foldable weightlifter""s bench. The bench is equipped with adjustable barbell receivers and a positionable back support. A fold up frame supporting a top bench pad can be quickly folded to nearly a flat position for storage such as under a bed. The invention is structured in the form of a foldable frame which supports an attached padded panel in the manner of a slant board. The padded panel is transversely hinged centrally so a back rest section can be raised and lowered according to the requirements of the user. The foldable frame when opened for use has a horizontally positioned generally rectangular pad support frame, simply called a pad frame, which is supported at each end by vertically positioned leg frames.
Unfortunately, each of these prior art devices possesses a design specific to use either for massage or weightlifting purposes. The massage table of Lloyd, while collapsible, does not provide the upper/lower body support in an inclined position required by weightlifting or other exercise programs. The utility of the Wolff, Christie, and LaRossa et al. devices for non-weightlifting purposes is compromised by the presence of barbell support posts. These vertically extending posts limit access, for example, by a therapist, to an individual lying prone on the surface located there between, and establish a size (i.e. width) restriction for persons intending to use the associated device. In light of the shortcomings of prior art exercise benches, it is desirable to have a relatively simple adjustable exercise bench which can be placed in a horizontal position and which also can provide multiple back rest angles and multiple seat rest angles for supporting the body in a variety of non-vertical positions. An apparatus of this type should also be easily and quickly collapsible to allow for easy storage, lightweight for optimum portability, and economical to manufacture in order to provide for widespread use. It is further desirable to provide a light-weight portable folding bench with extremely sturdy adjustment mechanisms for all of the back rest, seat rest, and legs, so as to lock each into a full spectrum of positions ranging from 90 degrees seated, to lying horizontal, to being folded and stored. The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art, while providing the above mentioned desirable features of a multi-adjustable multi-purpose bench.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for supporting the body in a variety of non-vertical positions for a variety of activities, including body toning, weight training, weight-lifting, and other therapeutic activities.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for non-vertical support of the body that may be adjusted to a variety of inclined positions.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for non-vertical support of the body that supports the upper and/or lower sections of the body in a variety of inclined positions.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for non-vertical support of the body in the above-described manner that is quickly and easily collapsible, lightweight and portable.
It is another object of the present invention to provide lightweight portable bench with sturdy locking joints to reduce the propensity for accidents.
These and other objects are accomplished by an articulated bench that generally comprises a two-section pad attached to a rectangular frame and two folding/pivoting support leg assemblies. The two padded sections are pivotally attached to the frame. Either of the two padded end sections can be pivoted upward and locked at a selectable incline. Either of a length-adjustable I-shaped brace assembly, or alternatively, a U-shaped support assembly fold out of the frame from beneath the longer of the two pivoting, padded end sections (i.e. the section for supporting the upper body) and are inserted into one of a series of catches located on the section""s rear surface to hold it at a selectable incline. The shorter of the two pivoting, padded end sections (i.e. the section for supporting an individual""s lower body) also pivots upward and a U-shaped support assembly folds out of the frame and is inserted in a pair of surface-mounted catches to maintain the section in an inclined position.
A support leg assembly is pivotally mounted at each end of the rectangular frame. The support leg assemblies fold inward for storing or transporting the bench. Upon folding outward, a locking folding brace holds the legs in position substantially perpendicular to the frame. The support leg assemblies pivot about axles that are common to the U-shaped support assemblies, and the common axes increase""stability and reduce manufacturing costs.
The articulated bench of the present invention is fabricated of a variety of strong, light-weight materials to provide the durability and portability required by the nature of its usage. The present invention""s design is simple and straightforward, and can be economically manufactured.